Audio Precision mourns passing of co-founder Bob Metzler

Audio Precision is mourning the loss of co-founder, and former president, Bob Metzler. Along with Dr. Richard Cabot, Bruce Hofer and Robert Wright, Bob founded Audio Precision in 1984 and served as the organisation’s president until his retirement in 1999.

The “Face” of APIn addition to his role as president, Bob’s responsibilities for the new company included marketing and sales, with those duties often calling for extensive international travel. It wasn’t uncommon for him to be gone for weeks at a time, visiting numerous countries, and customers, in a single trip. Bob became the “face” of AP during those early years, engaging literally thousands of customers across the globe while demonstrating an astounding ability to recall their names.

Prolific Author and Gifted SpeakerBob had a true gift and ability to convey complex topics, whether his audience was customers, sales partners from around the world or his AP colleagues. Bob wrote numerous magazine articles and application notes, edited AP’s newsletter, Audio.TST, and, in 1993, authored the Audio Measurement Handbook. This book was widely read throughout the audio community, and was even used as a text in university-level courses. Conducting seminars and training sessions was also something he relished.

A Man of Many TalentsBesides his role in the founding, and success, of Audio Precision, Bob had a robust career that included earning his Bachelor of Science in Physics (University of Louisville) and his Master of Business Administration (University of Portland), as well as fulfilling roles as diverse as marketing manager, radio broadcast station engineer, and development engineer for telemetry, display systems, antenna design, meteorological instrumentation and mobile radio. He was a licensed amateur radio operator and an accomplished photographer. Bob was a respected colleague and leader, appreciated for his dry sense of humor and his ability to be direct but tactful. He was a husband and father of four. And he is missed.

US: The 123rd AES Convention in New York City last month saw Soundcraft technical director and co-founder Graham Blyth receive the organisation's prestigious Fellowship Award. According to AES president Wieslaw Woszczyk, the award was given "in recognition of [Blyth's] distinguished career in mixing console design and service to the Society", writes David Davies.